The "Yao Ming Ivory and Rhino Horn Campaign" is launched in China at The Westin Beijing Financial Street on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, to boost conservation awareness in China on the threats to rhinos and elephants. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com / Liu Ranran]

The "Yao Ming Ivory and Rhino Horn Campaign" was launched at The Westin Beijing Financial Street on April 16 in an effort to heighten conservation awareness in China on the threats to rhinos and elephants.

In partnership with WildAid, the Yao Ming Foundation, Save the Elephants (STE), and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), former NBA star Yao Ming said he wants to educate the public to reduce the demand for rhino horns and ivory, saying: "When the buying stops, the killing can too."

Speeches on "The status of rhinos and elephants in the world" and "Surveys on rhino horn and ivory demands in China" were given by Kenyan researcher David Daballen of Save the Elephants, Philip Muruthi, senior director of conservation science for the African Wildlife Foundation, and WildAid's Executive Director, Peter Knights.

Footage and stills from Yao's trip to Africa were released at the news conference. In August 2012, Yao spent 12 days on a fact-finding mission in Kenya and South African to film a documentary and write 12 diaries about his Africa journey.

As an international NGO, WildAid's mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, WildAid also has offices in China, India, Cambodia, Galapagos, and London.

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